Apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from a coil

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from a coil of wire in which an elongated wire support drum has a coaxial wire feed roller at one end, and the drum and roller are supported solely at that end on a support frame to extend in cantilever fashion therefrom with the upper side of the drum generally horizontal to support a coil of wire, and an upper feed roller is mounted for rotation on an axis above the axis of the lower feed roller to form a wire nip with the lower feed roller, the lower feed roller and drum comprising the only parts of the apparatus that extend inside the wire coil whereby a loop of the wire coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the rotatable drum. A selectively operable drive means is provided for driving and rotating the lower feed roller and drum to feed wire from the end of the coil and to rotate the coil as the wire is withdrawn. The lower feed roller and drum preferably have a diameter greater than one-half the internal diameter of the coil to facilitate feeding of the wire and to limit contraction of the coil. The drum is preferably tapered with its major end adjacent to the feed roller and the axis of the drum inclined so that the upper surface of the drum extends generally horizontal.

Unite States Patent 11 1 Guthrie et al.

1 51 Sept. 30, 1975 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND UNREELING WIRE FROM A COIL [75] Inventors: Robert M. Guthrie; George L.

Straley, both of Rockford, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Fastener Engineers, Inc., Rockford,

Ill.

22 Filed: Feb. 20, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 444,126

Primary Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Allorney, Agent, or FirmMorsbach & Pillotc [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from a coil of wire in which an elongated wire support drum has a coaxial wire feed roller at one end, and the drum and roller are supported solely at that end on a support frame to extend in cantilever fashion therefrom with the upper side of the drum generally horizontal to support a coil of wire, and an upper feed roller is mounted for rotation on an axis above the axis of the lower feed roller to form a wire nip with the lower feed roller, the lower feed roller and drum comprising the only parts of the apparatus that extend inside the wire coil whereby a loop of the wire coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the rotatable drum. A selectively operable drive means is provided for driving and rotating the lower feed roller and drum to feed wire from the end of the coil and to rotate the coil as the wire is withdrawn. The lower feed roller and drum preferably have a diameter greater than one-half the internal diameter of the coil to facilitate feeding of the wire and to limit contraction of the coil. The drum is preferably tapered with its major end adjacent to the feed roller and the axis of the drum inclined so that the upper surface of the drum extends generally horizontal.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,908,922

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 of2 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND UNREELING WIRE FROM A COIL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wire processing machines generally have their own wire feed mechanism, operated in timed relation with the processing machine, for feeding the wire through the processing machine. However, when processing large diameter wire from coils, for example wire sizes in the range from about /8 inch to 1 /2 inches, it is desirable to provide apparatus for feeding the end of the wire from the coil to the processing machine when starting a coil and to assist in unreeling the wire from the coil as feed mechanism of the processing machine advances the wire. Apparatus for this purpose have heretofore been made as shown in the U.S. Pat. to Dittrich No 3,443,607, dated May 13, 1969, with upper and lower wire feed rollers mounted for rotation about generally horizontal axes to define a wire nip therebetween, a wire support drum coaxial with the lower feed roller to support a coil of wire with the coil axis gener ally horizontal and with the upper side of the coil at the level adjacent the level of the wire nip; and with an arm extending from the main support frame internally of the coil for rotatably supporting the distal end of the drum. In such prior wire feeding and unreeling apparatus having a drum support arm extending internally of the coil, the diameter of the coil support drum was limited to a size of the order of 6 to 12 inches, so that the drum diameter was small as compared to the internal diameter of the wire coils which vary in a range from about 28 inches to 40 inches,

The feed rollers of the wire processing machine usually operate to advance wire intermittently through the processing machine. However, because of its large mass, the coil does not accelerate and decelerate as rapidly as the wire is moved by the feed rollers of the processing machine and, frequently, the end loop of the coil from which the wire is withdrawn tended to radi ally contract. In the prior wire feeding and unreeling apparatus, the end loop of the coil, upon contraction, would engage the stationary drum support arm, thereby inhibiting continued withdrawal of wire from the coil. In order to reduct binding of the coil against the stationary drum support arm of such prior apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from the coil, it is heretofore been proposed to use supplemental idler rollers that parallel the main drum internally of the coil to engage the coil at locations cireumferentially spaced from the point of support of the coil on the drum. However, contraction of the end loop of the coil against the drum and idler rollers still imposed a high resistance to withdrawal of wire from the coil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to provide a wire feeding and unreeling apparatus which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior wire feeding and unreeling apparatus. In general, this is achieved by rotatably supporting the lower feed roller and drum only at the side of the lower feed roller opposite the drum so that the lower feed roller and drum extend in cantilever fashion from the support frame, with the lower feed rol ler and drum comprising the only parts of the apparatus that extend inside the wire coil whereby a loop of the wire coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the drum. Thus, contraction of an end loop or loops of the coil of wire does not cause binding of the coil on the machine. Further, the diameter of the lower wire feed roller and the coaxial drum at the end adjacent the feed roller is made large and preferably greater than one-half the internal diameter of the largest coil to be handled by the apparatus. The large radius of the lower feed roller facilitates rotation of the drum and the coil supported thereon, due to tension applied to the exiting end of the wire by the feed rolls of the processing machine, and the large diameter drum reduces the contraction of the end loop or loops of the wire in the coil, due to the tension on the exiting wire.

The large diameter lower feed roller also provides improved driving traction for feeding the wire, without requiring excessively high nip pressures, and the apparatus of the present invention preferably uses a nondriven upper feed roller which merely presses the wire against the'lower feed roller. The use of the non-driven upper feed roller provides a more simple and economical construction and the upper feed roller is preferably rotatably supported on a self-aligning bearing so as to automatically align with the wire being advanced by the lower feed roller. The wire support drum is preferably tapered with its major end adjacent the lower wire feed roller and the axis of the drum inclined upwardly so that the upper surface of the drum extends generally horizontal. This facilitates mounting the coil on the drum and tends to rotate the end of the coil adjacent the wire feed roller at a slightly higher speed than the remote end of the coil.

These, together with other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken into connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from a coil embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 33 of FIG. 2.

The apparatus of the present invention is adapted for feeding and unreeling wire from a coil designated C to a conventional wire processing machine P, such as a wire cut-off apparatus, a bolt making machine or the like, having its own wire feed rolls F that are operated intermittently and in timed relation with the wire processing machine to advance the wire through the processing machine. The wire feeding and unreeling apparatus is arranged to feed wire from the end of the coil C to the processing machine when starting a coil and to assist in unreeling the wire from the coil as the feed rolls F of the wire processing machine advance the wire through the processing machine.

The apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire includes an upright support frame having a front wall 10, spaced side walls 11, a bottom wall 14, and a top wall 12 defining a housing, and legs 13 secured to the frame and extending forwardly from the housing. An elongated wire support drum 16 is provided with a lower wire feed roller 17 at one end and thefeed roller and drum are rotatably supported only at that one end of the drum and extend in cantilever fashion from the upright support frame 10. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drum is hollow and is secured at one end as by welding to a drive head 18. A stub shaft 19 is secured to the drive head and extends therefrom into the housing and, as shown in FIG. 3, is rotatably supported on the housing by spaced bearing assemblies 21 and 22. The bearing assemblies 21 and 22 are spaced apart along the stub shaft 19 and form the sole support for the drum and feed roller so that the latter extends in cantilever fashion from the support frame. In order to facilitate assembly and replacement of the lower feed roller 17, the latter is preferably in the form of an annular ring having a peripheral wire receiving groove 17a, and which annular ring is detachably secured as by fastener 24 to a flange 18a on the drive head. The wire receiving groove 17a in the lower feed roller is preferably of V-shaped configuration with an internal angle of between 60 and 90 so as to accommodate wire within a preselected range of sizes for example from /s to 1 /2 inches.

The internal diameter of the wire coils vary within a range from a minimum of about 28 inches to a maximum of around 40 inches and, for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter, the diameter of the lower feed roller 17 and drum 16 is preferably made as large as possible consistent with free movement of the wire coil onto and along the drum. For this purpose, the diameter of the lower feed roller 17 and the adjacent end of the drum 16 is made only slightly smaller than the minimum internal diameter of the wire coils to be handled and no less than one-half the maximum internal diameter of the wire coil. Accordingly the feed roller 17 is formed with a diameter of at least 12 inches and preferably about 24 inches, which is slightly less than the minimum internal coil diameter of 28 inches and substantially greater than one-half the maximum internal coil diameter of 40 inches. The drum 16, at the end adjacent the wire feed roll, is formed with a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the lower feed roller 17 and slightly greater than the minor diameter of the wire receiving groove 17a in the lower feed roller. Thus, the drum diameter at the end adjacent the feed roller 17 is only slightly less than the minimum internal coil diameter and greater than one-half the maximum internal coil diameter so as to limit radial contrac tion of the end loop or loops of the coil. Moreover, since the minor diameter of the wire receiving groove 17a in the lower feed roller 17 is slightly less than the diameter of the adjacent end of the drum, it will be seen that the wire in the groove will advance at a slightly lower speed than the peripheral speed of adjacent end of the drum. This reduces the tendency of the end loop or loops of the coil to contract on the drum. The drum is preferably tapered to a relatively smaller diameter, for example a diameter of about 16 to 18 inches at its distal end, to facilitate installation of the coil on the drum, and the axis of the drum and feed roller is inclined upwardly toward the distal end such that the upper surface of the drum extends generally horizontal, as best shown in FIG. 1. Thiscan conveniently be achieved by angulating the generally upright support frame relative to the legs 13 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. A coil retainer 30, in the form ofa ring or disc having a diameter larger than the diameter of the distal end of the drum, is preferably detachably mounted on the distal end of the drum as by a bolt 31, to retain the coil on the drum during rotation. The wire coils are relatively heavy and frequently handled by forklift trucks. and preferably, the drum is formed with a longitudinally extending groove 16a to receive the fork of the truck during installation of the coil on the drum.

An upper feed roller 35 is mounted for rotation on a generally horizontal axis above the axis of the lower feed roller to form a wire nip therewith and the upper feed roller is supported for movement toward and away from the lower feed roller to facilitate insertion of the end of the wire between the feed rollers. It has been found that it is unnecessary, when a large diameter lower feed roller is used, to positively drive the upper feed roller in timed relation with the lower feed roller, and the upper feed roller 35 is accordingly preferably in the form of a freely rotatable idler roller. As best shown in FIG. 3, roller 35 is supported by a bearing 36 on a stub shaft 37 for rotation in the plane of the lower feed roller 17, and the upper feed roller is formed with a peripheral wire engaging groove 350 having a radius of curvature preferably substantially corresponding to the radius of the wire in the coil. The upper feed roller 35 is removably mounted on the stub shaft 37 by a retainer 37a to enable interchanging of different upper feed rollers having wire receiving grooves of different contour. The bearing 36 is preferably of the selfaligning type, which allows limited angular movement of the roller in a direction crosswise of the stub shaft, so as to align the upper feed roller with the wire in the groove on the lower feed roller. As previously discussed, the upper feed roller is supported for shifting movement toward and away from the lower feed roller to facilitate insertion of the end of the wire therebetween and, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stub shaft 37 is mounted on a bell crank 41 that is pivotly supported on a shaft 42. An actuator 43, such as a pneumatically operated bellows or piston having a rod 44, is connected to the bell crank 41 and is operative, when fluid pressure is applied to the actuator 43, to force the upper feed roller 35 downwardly toward the lower feed roller 17 and press thewire into the groove of the lower feed roller for advance therewith.

The lower feed roller 17 and drum 16 are selectively driven to feed wire from the end of the coil by a drive mechanism best shown in FIG. 3. This drive mechanism includes a drive motor 45 having its output pulley 46 connected as through a belt or belts 47 to the drive pulley 48 on a speed reducer mechanism 49. The output shaft 51 of the speed reducer mechanism is connected as through a sprocket 52 and chain 53 to a sprocket 54 on the shaft 19. The sprocket 54 is rotatably supported on the shaft 19 and is connected thereto through a oneway clutch 55 so as to positively rotate the drum in a direction to feed the end of the wire from the coil when the motor 45 is energized, and to allow overrunning of the lower feed roller and drum in the event the rate of advance of the wire by the feed rollers F of the processing machine exceeds the speed at which the feed roller and drum are rotated by the aforedescribed drive mechanism. The pulley and belt drive 46, 47 and 48 are preferably of the adjustable type so as to enable adjusting the speed at which the lower feed roller and drum are rotated. It is sometimes necessary to back up or rewind the wire at least a limited distance and the motor 45 is preferably of the rcversable type to enable driving of the sprocket 54 in a reverse direction. A selectively operable clutch 58 is slidably and non-rotatably connected to the shaft 19 and is yieldably biased as by a spring 59 to its inoperative position. The selectively operable clutch is adapted to be moved axially along the shaft, for example by manually pressing the same in a direction toward the drum, to engage drive dogs 55a on the housing of the overrunning clutch 55 so as to enable selective rotation of the feed roller 17 and drum 16 in a reverse direction.

The wire, as it passes from the nip between the upper and lower feed rollers, extends over a guide and straightening roller 61 (FIG. 2) mounted on the support frame at a level adjacent the level of the nip between the upper and lower feed rollers. Provision is also made for straightening the end of the wire as it is moved from the drum over the roller 61 and, for this purpose, an anvil 65 is mounted adjacent the periphery of the drum and at a level adjacent the level of the nip, and a pressure applying roller 66 is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the section of wire extending from the nip of the feed roller to the guide roll 61, to deform that section in a direction counter to the curvature in the wire for straightening the same. The pressure applying roller 66 is conveniently mounted on a bell crank 68 which is swingably supported on the shaft 42, and selectively operated as by a pneumatic actuator 69 (FIG. 2). In order to facilitate separation of the end loop from the remainder of the coil of wire, a separating disc 71 is preferably mounted for rotation about an axis 72 spaced outwardly from the periphery of the drum at location in advance of the nip between the upper and lower feed rollers, and with the periphery of the disc 71 extending to a point in close proximity to the periphery of the drum adjacent the wire feed roll 17, to separate the end loop from the coil.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction operation of the apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire will be readily understood. The coil of wires C is installed on the drum and the end of the coil is inserted between the upper and lower feed rollers 35, 17 and the actuator 43 then operated to force the upper feed roll downwardly to press the wire against the lower feed roller 17. The feed roller and drum are then drivingly rotated by the drive motor 45 to advance the end of the wire and to simultaneously rotate the coil C in the same direction. The lower feed roller 17 and drum 16 comprise the only parts of the apparatus that extend internally of the coil whereby a loop or loop of the coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the drum. Since the drum is free to rotate, contraction of the loop or loop into engagement with the drum does not impede rotation of the coil. Moreover, the lower feed roller is formed with a large diameter of the order of 24 inches, only slightly less than the minimum internal coil diameter and preferably substantially greater than one-half the maximum internal coil diameter, so as to provide a large radius to facilitate turning of the feed roller and drum when the wire is pulled by the feed rolls of the wire processing machine. The drum is also formed with a diameter greater than one-half the maximum internal diameter of the coil at the end adjacent the feed roller 17, to minimize radial contraction of the end loop or loops of the coil and to correspondingly minimize distortion of the wire. The large diameter of the lower feed roller provides improved feeding of the wire without requiring driving of the upper feed roller and the upper feed roller 35 is advantageously in the form of freely rotatable idler roller and is preferably supported by self-aligning bearings.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property of privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In an apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from an annular coil of wire, the apparatus including a support frame, an upper and a lower feed roller mounted on the support frame for rotation about generally horizontal axes and defining a wire nip therebetween, and a wire support drum coaxial with the lower feed roller and rotatable therewith, to support a coil of wire with the coil axis generally horizontal and with the upper side of the coil at a level adjacent the level of said wire nip, the improvement wherein the lower feed roller and drum are rotatably supported only at the side of the lower feed roller opposite the drum and the lower feed roller and drum extend in cantilever fashion from the support frame, the lower feed roller and drum comprising the only parts of the apparatus that extend inside the wire coil whereby a loop of the wire coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the rotatable drum, and selectively operable drive means for drivingly rotating said lower feed roller and said drum to feed wire from the end of the coil and to rotate the coil as wire is withdrawn therefrom.

2. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein the wire support drum is tapered inwardly from the end adjacent the lower feed roller toward its distal end and the axis of said drum is inclined upwardly toward said distal end such that the top of the drum is generally horizontal.

3. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said upper feed roller is an idler roller supported for free axial rotation.

4. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said lower feed roller has a peripheral wire receiving groove and said upper feed roller is an idler roller having a peripheral groove and supported for free axial rotation on a self-aligning bear- 5. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said drum has a diameter at the end adjacent said lower feed roller greater than one-half the inner diameter of the coil of wire to be supported on the drum to limit contraction of the coil, said lower feed roller having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum and a peripheral wire receiving groove with a minor diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum.

6. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said drum has a diameter of about 20 to 24 inches at the end adjacent said lower feed roller, said lower feed roller having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum and a peripheral wire receiving groove with a minor diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum.

7. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein the wire support drum has a diameter at the end adjacent the lower feed roller greater than one-half the inner diameter of the coil to be supported on the drum to limit contraction of the coil, said drum being tapered inwardly from the end adjacent the lower feed roller toward its distal end and the axis of the drum and lower feed roller being inclined upwardly toward said distal end such that the top of the drum is generally horizontal, said lower feed roller having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum and a peripheral wire receiving groove with a minor diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum.

8. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from one end of an annular coil of wire comprising an upright frame, an elongated wire support drum rotatably supported at only one end on said upright frame to extend therefrom in cantilever fashion with the upper side of the drum generally horizontal for supporting a coil of wire thereon, the drum comprising the only part of the apparatus that extends internally of the coil of wire whereby a loop of the coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the drum, a first wire feed roller at said one end of the drum coaxial therewith and having a grooved periphery with a minor groove diameter smaller than the diameter of said one end of the drum, a second wire feed roller mounted on said upright frame for rotation about an axis above and generally parallel to the axis of said first wire feed roller to form a wire nip therebetween, and selectively operable means for drivingly rotating said drum and said first feed roll to advance wire from an end loop of the coil.

9. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 8 wherein the wire support drum is tapered from the end adjacent the lower feed roller toward its distal end and the axis of the drum is inclined upwardly toward the distal end such that the top of the drum is generally horizontal. 

1. In an apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from an annular coil of wire, the apparatus including a support frame, an upper and a lower feed roller mounted on the support frame for rotation about generally horizontal axes and defining a wire nip therebetween, and a wire support drum coaxial with the lower feed roller and rotatable therewith, to support a coil of wire with the coil axis generally horizontal and with the upper side of the cOil at a level adjacent the level of said wire nip, the improvement wherein the lower feed roller and drum are rotatably supported only at the side of the lower feed roller opposite the drum and the lower feed roller and drum extend in cantilever fashion from the support frame, the lower feed roller and drum comprising the only parts of the apparatus that extend inside the wire coil whereby a loop of the wire coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the rotatable drum, and selectively operable drive means for drivingly rotating said lower feed roller and said drum to feed wire from the end of the coil and to rotate the coil as wire is withdrawn therefrom.
 2. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein the wire support drum is tapered inwardly from the end adjacent the lower feed roller toward its distal end and the axis of said drum is inclined upwardly toward said distal end such that the top of the drum is generally horizontal.
 3. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said upper feed roller is an idler roller supported for free axial rotation.
 4. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said lower feed roller has a peripheral wire receiving groove and said upper feed roller is an idler roller having a peripheral groove and supported for free axial rotation on a self-aligning bearing.
 5. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said drum has a diameter at the end adjacent said lower feed roller greater than one-half the inner diameter of the coil of wire to be supported on the drum to limit contraction of the coil, said lower feed roller having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum and a peripheral wire receiving groove with a minor diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum.
 6. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein said drum has a diameter of about 20 to 24 inches at the end adjacent said lower feed roller, said lower feed roller having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum and a peripheral wire receiving groove with a minor diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum.
 7. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 1 wherein the wire support drum has a diameter at the end adjacent the lower feed roller greater than one-half the inner diameter of the coil to be supported on the drum to limit contraction of the coil, said drum being tapered inwardly from the end adjacent the lower feed roller toward its distal end and the axis of the drum and lower feed roller being inclined upwardly toward said distal end such that the top of the drum is generally horizontal, said lower feed roller having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum and a peripheral wire receiving groove with a minor diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the adjacent end of the drum.
 8. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire from one end of an annular coil of wire comprising an upright frame, an elongated wire support drum rotatably supported at only one end on said upright frame to extend therefrom in cantilever fashion with the upper side of the drum generally horizontal for supporting a coil of wire thereon, the drum comprising the only part of the apparatus that extends internally of the coil of wire whereby a loop of the coil, upon contraction, engages only the periphery of the drum, a first wire feed roller at said one end of the drum coaxial therewith and having a grooved periphery with a minor groove diameter smaller than the diameter of said one end of the drum, a second wire feed roller mounted on said upright frame for rotation about an axis above and generally parallel to the axis of said first wire feed roller to form a wire nip therebetweEn, and selectively operable means for drivingly rotating said drum and said first feed roll to advance wire from an end loop of the coil.
 9. An apparatus for feeding and unreeling wire according to claim 8 wherein the wire support drum is tapered from the end adjacent the lower feed roller toward its distal end and the axis of the drum is inclined upwardly toward the distal end such that the top of the drum is generally horizontal. 